Clasp.



PATENTED JULY 8, 1906.

E. L. FESLBR}.

CLASP. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 3, 1906.

WITNESSES-.-

1H5 mamas PETERS 0a., WASHINGION, o. c.

EDWARD L. FESLER, OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA.

CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed January 3, 1906. Serial No. 294,488.

To (all 107110722, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. FESLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Maria, in the county of Santa Barbara and State of California, have invented a new and useful Clasp, of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to clasps, and has for an object to provide a clasp embodying new and improved features of economy, durability, simplicity, and efliciency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clasp of improved form which may be wholly of resilient wire and in any size and for any purpose required, as fastening garments, stockings, and horse-blankets, hanging curtains, portieres, or towels, for use as clothespins, and very many other purposes.

With these and other objects in View the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved clasp closed and shown in dotted lines open. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the improved clasp in plan shown closed and in dotted lines in the process of being opened. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the clasp with a different form of connecting-loop. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of outer member. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of inner member.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

In its preferred embodiment the improved clasp forming the subject-matter of this application comprises a resilient outer arm member embodying the spaced outer arms and 11, inclined toward each other and formin a loopor ring 12 in the same plane with t e arms, and forming a constriction or throat at the juncture of the arms and ring. The arms are provided with coils 13 and 14, which may pivotally embrace a separate connectingloop 15, as in Fig. 1, or from the coils may be extended to form the integral connectingloops, as 16 and 17 in Fi s. 2 and 3, respectively, and wherein the abutting or adjacent ends will be connected and embraced by a sleeve, as at 18 or 19.

For cooperation with the outer arm member an inner arm member is provided, embodying inclined spaced arms 20 and 21, conforming substantially to and disposed normally parallel with and in juxtaposition to the arms 10 and 1 1 and provided with a substantially similar ring or loop 22. In normal or clamping position the ring 22 is clamped firmly upon one side of the ring 12, with the arms 20 and 21 upon the other side and connected by reversely-curved connecting-sections 23 and 24, curved, as shown, with their concave sides 23 and 24* disposed reversely outward and embracing the walls of the throat 12 of the outer arm member. The inner arm member is ivotally connected with the outer arm mem er by eyelets 25 and 26, spaced between the coils 13 and 14 and embracing the loop 15, or by outturned fingers 27. and 28, inserted through the coils. Instead of making the outer arm member of resilient wire, as described, it may be stamped from sheet metal, as at 29 in Fig. 4, and the eyelets 25 and 26 embrace the cross-bar 30 in the same manner the crosspiece of loop 15 is embraced in Fig. 1. Instead of making the inner arm of resilient wire, as described, it may be stamped from sheet metal, as at Fig; 5, and provided with lugs for engaging the coils, or bent, as at 31, to embrace the cross-bar 30 in Fig. 1. In the form shown at Fig. 5 the spoon or disk 32 will conform substantially in size to the ring 22 and the integral arm 33 conform in size and taper to the arms 20 and 21, with the connecting-section 34 conforming in outline to the normal shape and size of the sections 23 and 24.

It will be obvious that by reason of the resiliency of either or both the outer and inner arm members the ring 22 or spoon 32 will be held in firm clamping engagement with the ring 12, and thereby clamping and retaining any fabric or article between the rings. To disengage or open the clasp, the thumb is placed upon the inner arm member adjacent the connecting-sections 23 and 24 and the finger under the outer arm member adjacent the constriction, and-by a pressure exerted the inner arms are forced together or the outer arms apart to permit the inner arm to pass throu h between the outer arms, when it will swing ack, as in Fig. 1. To close, the movement is reversed and the inner arm forced reversely between the outer arms until the connecting members again engage within the throat.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A clasp comprising outer and inner resilient members, said outer member consisting of a loop having spaced arms extending therefrom, said loop and arms being disposed in the same lane and the loop constituting an expansibl e aw, and said inner member comprising an arm movably connected to the outer member and having a jaw offset from one end thereof and in a plane parallel with the arm, said jaw being insertible through the looped aw of the outer member and adapted to overlap the same.

2. A clasp comprising resilient outer and inner members, said outer member consisting seams of aloop having diverging arms thereon form- 2 one end and in a plane parallel with the arm, 2

said jaw being insertible through the loop and adapted to overlap the same, said jaw and its arm adapted to straddle one wall of the throat when the jaw is inserted through said loop In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

E. M. HALL, THos. PREIsKER. 

